Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Denver, CO and in Chicago, IL: $3,212 and $3,185 a month, rent and utilities included.

155

Cost of Living Index in Denver, CO
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Denver, CO Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Denver, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Denver, CO and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Denver, CO and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,212 per month in Denver, CO vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Denver, CO $3,212
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,651 per month in Denver, CO vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Denver, CO $4,651
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $6,090 per month in Denver, CO vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Denver, CO $6,090
Chicago, IL $6,077

Denver, CO costs about 1% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Denver, CO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Denver, CO by 138%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$21.58 $21.58

-6.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 $85.2

$88.7 $88.7

-3.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 $11.74

$13.20 $13.20

-11.06%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$5.59 $5.59

3.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.63 $2.63

8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.26 $2.26

1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$7.11 $7.11

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$9.23 $9.23

-12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.28 $1.28

-11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$5.47 $5.47

$3.84 $3.84

42.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$5.07 $5.07

40.43%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$4.84 $4.84

3.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$14.17 $14.17

17.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$14.61 $14.61

16.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.44 $18.44

$18.76 $18.76

-1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$5.19 $5.19

-1.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.00 $2.00

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.00 $4.00

17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$4.98 $4.98

6.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.79 $2.79

-7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.65 $2.65

3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.13 $2.13

11.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.09 $3.09

-18.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$16.05 $16.05

-33.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.83 $18.83

$15.20 $15.20

23.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.62 $2.62

4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.46 $3.46

4.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.47 $2.47

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.0 $87.0

$75.1 $75.1

15.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.21 $3.21

7.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.39 $1.39

23.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 $30.36

$25.02 $25.02

21.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.24 $1.24

-17.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.8K $34.8K

$37.2K $37.2K

-6.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$166 $166

$192 $192

-13.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$67.8 $67.8

13.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 $70.3

$60.9 $60.9

15.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 $60.6

$53.6 $53.6

13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.84 $24.84

$27.90 $27.90

-10.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$17.80 $17.80

-14.78%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,375 $2,375

$1,554 $1,554

52.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.6K $33.6K

$31.4K $31.4K

7.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 $70.7

$67.9 $67.9

4.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.74 $45.74

$50.8 $50.8

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$143 $143

-9.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 $1,999

$2,383 $2,383

-16.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$1,712 $1,712

-0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,250 $3,250

$4,674 $4,674

-30.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,679 $2,679

$2,738 $2,738

-2.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,737 $5,737

$4,158 $4,158

37.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,680 $3,680

$2,691 $2,691

36.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,540 $4,540

$4,894 $4,894

-7.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.9

6.77

1.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Denver, CO: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Denver, CO

$1.7K 53%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 0.5% $8.7

Groceries & Markets

Denver, CO

$500 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 9.7% $48

Eating Out

Denver, CO

$339 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 4% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Denver, CO

$313 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 2.5% $7.9

Clothing & Footwear

Denver, CO

$156 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 4.6% $7.2

Getting Around

Denver, CO

$110 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 13.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Denver, CO

$91 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 1.9% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,999 in Denver, CO versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Denver, CO versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $500 in Denver, CO vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Denver, CO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:29 3:29 AM

04:29 4:29 AM

1 h ahead of Denver, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

715,522

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Denver, CO Chicago, IL 1,480 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Denver, CO
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Denver, CO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,212 in Denver, CO, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 1% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,818 per month in Denver, CO and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Denver, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Denver, CO and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,212 in Denver, CO and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,212 in Denver, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Denver, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.